Kandanad Marth Mariam Church

The St.Mary’s Orthodox Church of Kandanad is believed to be about more than 1000 years old. Since its inception, the church was renovated, remodeled and rebuilt on several occasions and the edifice in its present magnificent form appears to have been completed in AD 1910. Various stages of its construction are recorded at relevant portions in the mammoth structure. For instance, on the timber wall along the Madbho,it is inscribed: “the wood work completed in 1909, the gilt work in 1910 and the Holy Qurbana conducted on 9th Medam 1910”.

History:

The St.Mary’s Orthodox Church of Kandanad is believed to be about more than 1000 years old. Since its inception, the church was renovated, remodeled and rebuilt on several occasions and the edifice in its present magnificent form appears to have been completed in AD 1910. Various stages of its construction are recorded at relevant portions in the mammoth structure. For instance, on the timber wall along the Madbho, it is inscribed: “the wood work completed in 1909, the gilt work in 1910 and the Holy Qurbono conducted on 9th Medam 1910”. Similarly the massive pillars erected at the outer corridor are etched with the year “1931”.

The village Kandanad lay along the border of erstwhile Travancore and Kingdom of Cochin. Though it belonged to Travancore, its culture is markedly Kochiite. This may be due to the village’s close proximity to Kochin royalty (Thripunithura, the former seat of Kochin kings) as also its immediate urban contact comes from the main city of Cochin state namely, Ernakulam, hardly fifteen kilometers north.

The people are mostly Christian farmers, small and big. Indeed, the economic viability of agriculture has dwindled and its adverse impact has prompted the community to seek other profitable enterprises and the educated have gone after greener pastures, the Gulf-boom assisting in no mean measure and the village has prospered with modern amenities and has acquired almost semi-urban status now.

The village’s day invariably begins with loud knoll of the huge bell at St.Mary’s Church and villagers are infallibly chimed into wakefulness every morning. The church is situated 1 km. east of Udayamperoor where the historic ‘Synod of Diamper’ was held on 10 June 1599 and 3 km. west of the renowned MarThoman Church at Mulanthuruthy.

St.Mary’s Orthodox Church has over the years attained the pride of place as the cathedral church of Kandanad diocese. It is recorded in the visitor’s dairy that Claudius Buchanan, a member of the Anglican Church who was keen to have a viable tie-up with the Syrian Church in Malabar had visited the church in 1806. The western façade of the church has striking similarity to other ancient churches such as Mulunthuruthy, Karingachira, Piravom, Angamaly, Manarcad etc. Just below the cross on the face of the church can be seen the following inscription in Syriac: “Come, Enter those who are blessed by my heavenly father – our Lord’s year 1400”. So it can be safely assumed that the original church was built much earlier than the present one. Behind the altar on the wall in the sanctum sanctorum, biblical quotations are inscribed on wooden planks.

Mortal Remains:

1) Mor Thoma IV

Just below the Madbho are entombed on either sides of the steps, the mortal remains of Mar Thoma IV, who is the successor of the St.Thomas, the Apostle of India and Maphriyono Mor Baselios Shakralla Bava. The tomb at the right carries the inscription on the marble head-stone. “MorThoma Metropolitan who hails from Pakalomattom family entered eternal rest on 13th Meenam 1728 AD.” In front of this tomb is placed the sacred relics of Mor Geevarghese Sahado (St.George). The tomb at left carries the inscription on its marble plaque “Shakralla Baselios Maphriyono who was deputed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Antioch Moran Ignatius Geevarghese Bava in 1749; died at Mattancherry and entombed here on the 9th Thulam, 1764”. His hallowed memory is celebrated on 21 and 22 October every year with great worshipful fervour.

2)Maphriyono Mor Baselios Shakralla

The strength, power, glory, growth and the very existence of Malankara Orthodox Church is unequivocally related to the holy fathers of yore who against all odds and impediments reached here and guided us from time to time in order to uphold Petrine Succession with the stamp of authentic apostolic entity in the throne of St.Thomas. The sacrifices made on our behalf by the fathers are legendary. One of those illustrious fathers who came down to lead us during an acutely turbulent time is late lamented Shakralla Mor Baselios. It is more than 200 years since the Holy Father attained his eternal rest. Yet his memory is etched in golden letters in the history of Malankara Church and those who pray at his venerated tomb at Kandanad continue to receive heavenly blessings in abundance.

It was Mor Thoma IV who had sent messages to all churches including roman church requesting the Holy Throne to depute a Maphryono to Malankara when the church was passing through a stormy and rudderless phase of its existence. In those days communication was extremely difficult and letters got lost in transit or delivered at wrong places. So the letter dated 25 Kanni, 1720 by Mor Thoma IV did not reach to all. Consequently, the earnest desire of Mor Thoma IV who keenly awaited the arrival of the Maphryono from Antioch could not be fulfilled and Mor Thoma breathed his last before the delegate from Antioch reached the shores of Malankara. However, it is strikingly significant that Shakralla Mor Baselios is laid to rest beside the tomb of Mor Thoma IV in St.Mary’s Orthodox Church, Kandanad.

URL: http://www.kandanadorthodoxcathedral.dinstudio.com